lethal
able to cause death
Able to kill a person or animal, especially a drug, weapon, or illness.
lethal [substance/weapon/dose/blow]
- The doctor warned that even a small amount of this chemical could be lethal.
- He was found guilty of carrying a lethal weapon without a license.
- Without treatment, the infection can become lethal within a few days.
- They used lethal force after shots were fired at the officers.
- A single sting is usually not lethal, but many stings can kill.
- This snake’s bite is lethal to humans.
- The police found a lethal knife in his bag.
- Some drugs are safe in small amounts but lethal in large doses.
- The disease was lethal before modern medicine.
- The soldier was hit by a lethal bullet.
extremely harmful or destructive
Very, very dangerous or harmful, even if it does not really kill someone.
lethal [combination/mix/cocktail/effect]
- The report described the policy as a lethal combination of arrogance and inexperience.
- Stress and lack of sleep can be a lethal mix for your mental health.
- His comment turned out to be politically lethal and ended his campaign.
- The company’s slow response had a lethal effect on customer trust.
- For a small business, that kind of debt can be absolutely lethal.
- Too much stress can be lethal for a relationship.
- That mistake was lethal for our plan.
- The team had a lethal mix of talent and speed.
- Jealousy can be lethal to a friendship.
- High prices are lethal for small shops.
extremely good or impressive
Very informal: extremely good, strong, or effective, especially in sports or competition.
lethal [shot/move/backhand/smile]
- She’s known for her lethal serve on the tennis court.
- The striker has a lethal left foot and rarely misses.
- He gave her a lethal smile that made everyone turn and look.
- Their counterattack is absolutely lethal when they find space.
- His combination of speed and power makes him a lethal fighter.
- The player scored again with a lethal shot.
- Her backhand is lethal in every match.
- He has a lethal kick and can score from far away.
- The team is lethal when the game is fast.
- She ended the game with a lethal move.
- Base: lethal
lethal combination
1very dangerous mix of factors
A mix of two or more things that together are very dangerous or cause very bad results.
- High speed and wet roads are a lethal combination.
- Pride and inexperience proved to be a lethal combination for the new CEO.
- For small companies, high costs and low demand can be a lethal combination.
lethal dose
1amount of substance that kills
The amount of a drug or chemical that will kill a person or animal if they take it at one time.
- Scientists try to determine the lethal dose of new chemicals in safety tests.
- Even a small mistake in the amount could turn a safe dose into a lethal dose.
- For some medicines, the lethal dose is not much higher than the normal dose.
lethal force
1force likely to cause death
Physical power used in a way that will probably kill someone.
- Officers are trained to use lethal force only as a last resort.
- The new policy sets strict rules on when lethal force is allowed.
- Witnesses questioned whether the use of lethal force was necessary.
lethal injection
1execution by deadly drugs
A way to kill a person, usually as a legal punishment, by putting strong drugs into their body through a needle.
- The prisoner was sentenced to death by lethal injection.
- Many people debate whether lethal injection is a humane form of execution.
- Some states have paused the use of lethal injection because of drug shortages.
lethal weapon
1weapon likely to kill
A weapon, such as a gun or a knife, that can easily kill someone.
- Carrying a concealed lethal weapon without a permit is illegal here.
- The court had to decide whether the device counted as a lethal weapon.
- Police found several lethal weapons in the suspect’s car.
non-lethal weapon
1weapon not meant to kill
A weapon, like a rubber bullet or tear gas, made to stop people without killing them.
- Police used non-lethal weapons to control the crowd.
- The army is testing new non-lethal weapons for peacekeeping missions.
- Some non-lethal weapons can still cause serious injury if misused.